


Son of a Witch

by galacticnocturne



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fairy Tale Style, M/M, Magic, POV Link, au rhink, rhink, tw bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:41:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21836899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticnocturne/pseuds/galacticnocturne
Summary: Link Neal, a male witch who had been an outcast all his life, is determined to find the legendary son of the Sun in order to prove his worth as a mage.But things don't go according to plan when the deity he was after turns out to be a beautiful man who bewitches Link body and soul.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 17
Kudos: 20
Collections: Mythical Secret Santa 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [out_of_nowhere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_of_nowhere/gifts).



> Lynne, this is for you girl! 
> 
> You said you liked fantasy and Rhett with long hair... So here's what I got for you: a fairytale about a witch and a deity!  
> The story came to me in a flash and it got out of hand, hence the multi-chaptered nature of it :')  
> Hope you like it and it makes you happy :3
> 
> Happy holidays!

Link was crying in his room again. 

He didn’t want anyone to see or hear him so he had hidden himself under his trusty invisibility blanket that his mother had knitted for him when he was just a little boy. 

He wasn’t a little kid anymore, but right now he felt like one. 

One shouldn’t be getting bullied and letting it get to their feelings like this when they are practically an adult.

And yet, here he was.

* * *

It wasn’t his fault that his mother was a witch and had the misfortune of giving birth to a son. Usually witches had daughters so that they can pass on their legacy to them. However, Link was an only child and his mom was determined to keep their family name going. That’s why she had baptised Link when he was just a baby to make him a natural-born witch. 

Not a wizard or a warlock; a witch.

The other men in the magic community were either sons of powerful wizards or came from a line of diverse magical creatures. There were also others who got into magic late in their life and were learning to acquire their powers. Witches on the other hand were usually women -even though Link’s mom kept insisting that this was just a coincidence concerning their little village and that this whole thing was just sexist. 

But Link had been the outcast all his life and his mother’s love was not enough to protect him. He always thought things might change once he was no longer a teenager and got accepted into the academy.

They didn’t. 

Today had been an especially brutal day. 

He didn’t fit in with any of the crowds: wizards, witches, sorceresses, warlocks, none of them. They didn’t even consider him a mage. 

He hated his life.

Using a trusty old spell he had known his entire life, he dried the tears on his face and made himself look “okay” again. He didn’t want his mom to see him like that and get upset.

He was a burden already, no need to make things worse. 

* * *

The next day, while he was walking out of the academy, someone conjured a rock in front of him which made him stumble and fall. 

He heard laughter from behind and turned to face his bully.

“I can’t believe you are still trying to be a part of the magic community. Why don’t you just go back to your house and live your peasant life, away from us?”

Link gathered up his stuff from the ground and got up to his feet.

“And why don’t you just go and f-”

“Mr. Neal” They all looked up to see the dark lord looking at them from their window. “Is something the matter?”

Link looked at the group of people who had been laughing at his face just moments ago and then looked back at the window. “No, my lord. Everythings alright.”

After the figure disappeared back into the room and the window was closed, Link turned back to walk home.

“Oh look, he is walking away as usual, that son of a witch.”

This made Link stop in his tracks. He could take all the bullying they had to offer but for some reason he just couldn’t stand being called son of a witch.

He charged at the guy who had called after him, Richard, and used a quick but powerful spell to tie his hands and legs to the wall behind him.

As Link held his hands out to maintain the magic, he whispered through gritted teeth: “Take it back.”

Even though the initial shock had gotten to him, Richard seemed calm now.

“Take what back?” he was looking directly into Link’s eyes.

“Take. It. Back.” Link tightened the grip of the invisible chains on his prey.

The others were just observing from a distance, they knew better than to get involved in other mage’s fights. 

“And what if I don’t?”

Link raised the guys body off the ground and added a tight grasp to his neck as well. He could feel the air getting sucked out of the other’s body and yet couldn’t find the look of terror he craved in his eyes. 

He let go.

The guy collapsed to the ground and gasped for air. 

“I knew you were weak.”

“If I am so weak, why do you even keep messing with me?” 

“Because you don’t belong here, okay?” The others had came back and formed a circle around them.

“You shouldn’t even be here. You are barely a witch; a pathetic one at that. You will never be a true mage. Not even if you had found the son of the Sun and seized their power. You are and always will be a pathetic loser.” They all laughed. They laughed because they believed this to be true. 

Link have had enough.

“Well, I will find the son of the Sun. And then we’ll see who will be laughing.”

There was a beat of silence. The son of the Sun living amongst them in this world was a myth older than any of the people there. They knew it was impossible to gain the powers of the Sun. And yet, here Link was; claiming he could do it.

“I’d like to see you try.” 

Link didn’t answer but turned away and walked home. He knew he had gotten himself into a sticky situation. He didn’t even know if there was a son of the Sun. But he was determined not to go back to the academy empty handed. 

* * *

Link packed for a week long journey which would turn out to be an unwise move. 

He didn’t talk with his mom but chose to leave her a note. He knew she wouldn’t approve of his ludicrous plan and he didn't want to argue with her.

He had taken out an ancient book about the sun from the library, packed her mom’s trusty grimoire, his own book of shadows and the incantation compass to guide him. 

After a couple of days of wandering around the woods, he was losing hope completely. 

He had only been able to travel a quarter of the forest and not so attentively. But he couldn’t go back empty handed either. 

Maybe he could lie and act like he had harnessed the powers of the Sun? But how would that work? Or maybe, he could try to find proof that there is no son of the Sun? 

He was deep in thought when the smell of freshly baked cake filled up his thoughts. At first he thought it was a type of hallucination, he had been out in the forest for too long. But after a while he realised the smell was real, and it was coming from the cottage down the lane.

* * *

He followed the smell to the cottage and hid behind the bushes that were barricading the small garden in the back. The garden was almost as beautiful as the person Link saw through the window.

It was only for a second, but Link could have sworn there was someone in there. And that someone was the most magnificent being he had ever laid eyes on. 

He wanted to get a closer look but couldn’t dare getting nearer. Because now, he could sense the presence of an extensive power. 

“Weird.” He mumbled to himself. With a presence of such a power, he thought he would have felt it earlier. 

The figure flashed before his eyes once again and the smell grew thicker. The person was in the kitchen and had taken a cake out of the oven.

Link wasn’t in control of his body anymore.

He mindlessly followed the smell and reached the door of the cottage. Now that he was closer, he could hear the faint melody the person in there was humming. 

He knocked on the door. 

The melody stopped at the instant. The smell had vanished as well and a chilling wind was now making Link shiver. He came back to his senses at once. 

What had he done?

But before he could walk away, the door opened with a creak and Link went blind.


	2. Chapter 2

“Can I help you?” a warm voice asked from behind the door. 

Link wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn't. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, tried to avert his gaze to his shoes, even tried to hold on to the door frame; all for the sake of getting back to his senses. But it was of no use. 

“You look confused, why don’t you come in for a second?”

Link felt himself being guided inside and getting settled on a comfy sofa. As the figure kept moving between the open kitchen and where Link was situated, he started getting his vision back and thereupon letting his eyes wander around the cottage. 

The tall figure, who appeared to be a man, came back with a glass of water and held it out to Link. He reached for it, trying not to look long at him, as if he were the sun; yet he saw him, like the sun, even without looking. 

He was beautiful.

“Who -- what --- where am I?”

“Shhh it’s okay. You are just a little confused. You must have gotten lost.” His voice was like melted butter, so soft and warm that Link was sure he was hallucinating.

“Lucky for you I have just baked my famous honey cake! I say famous but really, it’s just the cake I bake the most... Well, food will help you regardless. Just wait here.”

And with that he was gone, so was the light and warmth. But Link’s mind was still fuzzy and he fell asleep before the mysterious man of the cottage returned.

* * *

When Link woke up again, there was a blanket on top of him and he wasn’t wearing his shoes. This had been the most comfortable sleep he had had in years. 

He tried not to move a lot so as not to alert the owner of the cottage: the man with the radiating beauty of a thousand suns… 

But he needn't have worried as he could hear a faint melody coming from the garden, which assured him that he was alone inside. Not bothering to put his shoes back on, he walked towards the window. 

And there he was, humming under the evening light, knee deep in soil, cleaning the dead parts of the beautiful flowers that covered the garden: the owner of the cottage. 

Link took his time studying him.

He had long, blond hair that passed his shoulders a few inches; which Link thought was impressive given how tall he was. He was huge. But, in an ironic way, he also appeared to be small and gentle. Link felt himself relaxing and getting lighter as he watched the man work. There was something about him that made Link feel all warm inside and it was taking away all his worries and problems. He had to steer his thoughts back to why he was originally on this quest: to capture the son of ... son of the ….

His eyes widened and he stepped closer to the window to look at the man more carefully this time.

The son of the …. Sun.

He gasped audibly and had to put his hand to his mouth. 

“Oh my, oh shi-”

But apparently covering his mouth wasn’t enough because the man in the garden stopped humming and looked towards the windows. When his eyes found Link, he smiled. 

That smile… It was almost enough for Link to fall back into the blissful ignorance he had just minutes ago. 

Almost.

The man got up to tidy up his clothes and then walked towards the house.

Link was panicking. He needed to come up with a plan, he needed to-

“So, you are awake.” That voice... 

“Ah, yes, yes I am. Thank you for, well, letting me rest in your house.”

The guy put the garden tools away before turning towards Link again,

“It’s alright. You looked really confused. Do you by any chance remember what you were doing in this part of the forest?”

And that’s when Link came up with his plan. 

“I-I’m not sure. I can’t even remember coming to the forest…” He tried to look as confused as he could. Which, in truth, wasn’t that hard.

“Oh, you poor thing” the man stepped closer to him and put a hand on Link’s forehead. Link melted under the touch as he let his eyes flatter close. 

“You don’t show any physical symptoms though. Does your head hurt? Or anywhere else for that matter?”

Link opened his eyes again and gulped heavily as he realised how close they were standing to each other. 

“No, I think” he managed to studder which, in highsight, helped create the illusion of amnesia even more. 

“That’s okay. You can rest here until you figure out what you need to do.” he smiled at him tenderly.

“I’m, well, alright. Thanks … umm, what’s your name again?”

Link was expecting some sort of mythical name, or maybe even a made-up name in order to keep his identity hidden. But the answer he got was sincere:

“Oh, I’m Rhett. And you are …”

“Link.”

With a smile on his face, Rhett reached his hand to him,

“Hello Link, so nice to meet you.”

Link took his hand and shook it lightly.

“Likewise.”

As Rhett headed for the kitchen, Link felt like he needed to say something more but couldn’t think clearly. He was still shocked that the son of the Sun, Rhett, was standing right in front of him. The myth, the legend and now the reality; the solution to all of Link’s problems... 

“Thank- Thanks again for helping me.” What else could he say right now?

“Oh, it’s okay. If we don’t help each other when we can, then what’s the point right?”

“What’s the point of what?”

“Exactly.”

Rhett came back with a tray on his hands that had two mugs of tea and a plate of cake. 

“Here you go. You fell asleep before you could eat anything. You should get some food in your system, that will help.” 

They sat across from each other on the table and Link devoured the cake. It was delicious. 

Rhett wasn’t eating; instead, he was intensely watching Link.

“What?” Link smiled, trying not to expose the food in his mouth.

“Oh, nothing, sorry. I’m just not used to seeing other people eat the things I’ve baked. I mean, I’m not being a creep, I promise. It’s just, I live here alone and rarely have interactions with others…”

He lowered his eyes to the mug on his hands and took a sip. 

Link felt sorry for him and, without thinking about it too much, said,

“Well, this is the most delicious piece of cake I’ve ever had in my life!”

And there it was again, that smile… It must have been his sun-like powers because Link had never felt like this before.

* * *

Rhett prepared a bed for Link in the living room and said he could stay as long as he needed. He was not trying to pry into Link’s life; wasn’t even questioning his motives.

He had just trusted Link. 

After living in a community where Link had to learn not to trust anyone, Rhett’s behaviour seemed strange to him. Also, he didn’t look to be a powerful deity of the universe. 

Not even magical; just, normal.

Link started second guessing if this overly-friendly and gorgeous person was really the son of the Sun and decided he needed to be sure before letting the others know. He needed to show the people back home that he was a worthy mage that found the son of the Sun all by himself, he couldn't afford to make mistakes.

But how else could he account for how looking at Rhett made him feel?

He would give up his right leg to have a chance to run his fingers down his luscious hair, willingly drown in the depths of his amber-gold eyes, and move the mountains just to make him smile.

But he didn’t need to; because whenever their eyes met, Rhett flashed that otherworldly smile and Link’s body felt like combusting. 

Rhett had left Link to rest in his new bed and was back in the garden. Link, determined to make sure he got the right person, decided to join him.

“What you got there?”

He must have startled him because Rhett almost lost his balance as he turned to look up at Link. He was crouching down but even in this position, he was tall. 

“Just cleaning some of the plants. They tend to burn their leaves a lot and if I don’t unclutter the dead ones, new leaves won’t grow.” 

Link took a look around the garden, addressing the huge trees enclosing the area. 

“I mean, this place cannot be getting much sunlight thought?”

Rhett was back to his task,

“Believe me, it does.”

Link didn’t press on but instead crouched down besides him.

“Can I help?”

This time, his smile was accompanied by a soft blushing that made his cheeks rise up from under his thick beard. 

“Sure.”

As he showed Link what to do, the presence of an immense power started to grow around them once again. It wasn’t as strong as the one Link had felt when he first saw the cottage, but he was sure it was the same. He attributed it to his exhaustion and moved on.

* * *

At night, Rhett went to bed before midnight and left Link alone in the living room. 

When enough time had passed, Link started going through Rhett’s stuff. Even though he felt bad about it, he needed to make sure that his conviction was correct.

He didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.

Just as he was giving up, he remembered the incantation compass he’d brought with him and decided to check if that had any indications.

Oh, it did.

The compass was lit up like crazy and the little arrow in the middle of it was not pointing to the north, but to the exact opposite of where Rhett’s bedroom was. Link walked in circles to make sure and it was clear: it was always showing the opposite direction from Rhett.

Witches are most powerful at night time -specifically around midnight- and this compass was built to follow the moon. Does this mean it was showing away from Rhett because he was the sun? It wasn’t unlikely…

As Link felt himself getting a bit stronger approaching midnight, he took out the grimoire as well and tried a quick spell. He needed a dead plant and luckily he knew where to get one. He enchanted the plant to turn towards it’s life source and the result was clear. The plant was facing Rhett. 

Uneasiness filled up his body.

If Rhett was actually the son of the Sun, imagine what he was capable of. He must have the power to destroy this whole forest. But instead he was living a slow life, alone, in this small cottage. This didn’t change the fact that if he ever found out Link was a witch and was actually faking this amnesia, he could easily eradicate him from the face of the earth…

Link needed to act fast. 

He couldn’t just up and leave, not with a clear conscience. Also, there was something binding him to this cottage at the moment and he wanted to understand what that was.

The best he could do was to send out a magical signal to the people back at the academy and hope that Rhett wouldn’t figure his plan out until they arrive. 

So, without wasting any more time, he summoned a message sparrow and sent it back to the academy. The message simply said he had found the son of the Sun and also had the coordinates of the cottage.

He went to sleep with anticipation and excitement. He couldn’t wait to prove all the others wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a quote I've used here that is originally from the classic Anna Karenina -because it fit the story oh just right-:
> 
> “He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking.”  
> ― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina


	3. Chapter 3

When Link woke up, Rhett was already up and busy with whatever he does during the day.

They only exchanged a couple of words when Rhett offered him breakfast. After that, they mostly kept to themselves.

Rhett was clearly giving him space to recover himself and Link was grateful for it as he didn’t want to risk blowing his cover. 

The calmness of this atmosphere had made Link comfier than usual and he was feeling better than ever before. He hadn’t even noticed that they’d skipped lunch. Life was flowing so easily, nothing seemed to bother either of the men going on with their lives in this small cottage. 

At the moment, he was deeply invested in his mom’s grimoire. Funnily enough, he had never read it all before. He knew it was really powerful -that’s why he had packed it- but that was it. Now that he had time, he found it fascinating. There were so many aspects of witchcraft he had never known about. Because he was always outcasted for being a witch, he had never embraced it. But now, he was beginning to find it interesting.

“Whatcha reading?”

Rhett’s low pitched voice brought him back to reality.

“Oh, nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing. Is it something you had with you?”

Link tried his best to put the book away before Rhett caught on,

“Yes. I think it belonged to my mother.”

“Ah, that’s nice. So, do you wanna talk about it?”

“What - about my mother?” he was confused.

“I mean, about you and your life. I know you don’t remember how you ended up here but you seem to remember your life. So maybe talking about it would help.”

He smiled heartily and Link couldn't say no.

They talked about their childhood -not going into any specifics- and found out they were both bullied a lot. 

"Why would anyone bully someone like you? You are the most kind, gracious and selfless person I’ve met. And on top of it all, you are beautiful!”

Link didn’t mean to say that last part but it had escaped from his lips. Thankfully, Rhett didn’t seem to have heard it.

“Because I was different. People don’t like things that are not  _ normal _ .”

His voice was uncharacteristically somber.

“I understand. It’s the same with me. I just can’t seem to fit in, no matter how hard I try…”

Rhett turned towards Link fully and looked deep into his eyes,

“But, that’s the thing. You don’t need to fit in. I had to leave my home because I didn’t … I didn’t belong there. I had to create my own path. It was hard at first, but in the end, all worth it. And look, it lead me here; sitting in my own house with someone as beautiful as you.”

He winked when he said beautiful and Link had to stop himself from turning invisible just so Rhett wouldn’t see how crimson his face has gone. 

* * *

Rest of the day went like a breeze. 

Life was so much easier and pleasant out here in the forest, with Rhett. Spending time with him felt natural, and right… It felt like Link had finally found his place in this world.

This contentment broke whenever he remembered why he was there in the first place.

To capture the son of the Sun…

And he had already sent out the signal…

At night, his thoughts and emotions a mess, Link decided to test his theory once again. Because, as far as he knew, gods were feisty beings and were way too powerful for the earth.

If Rhett was what Link thought him to be, a god related to the Sun, his mere presence should be too much for this wooden cottage. He must have been doing something to dial down his powers. 

As midnight approached, he prepared for yet another ritual. 

He was going to call for the power of heat and light: the god of Sun. Because he was not a fully formed mage yet, he couldn’t really communicate with the big deities; but he could call for the next best thing: the offspring of a deity.

Rhett had been asleep for hours now, that man really did go to bed quite early.

It took Link some time to get into the wave-lenght but as soon as he was able to, he finalized the ritual by calling out the ancient name of the Sun.

His eyes were closed and the room was lit only by candles.

However, even behind closed eyelids, he could sense a source of light filling the room. He slowly opened his eyes to see beams of light coming from under Rhett’s bedroom door.

“Oh no.” he whispered and started chanting the closing spell for the ritual. But it was too late, the deity was summoned and Link couldn’t take it back.

He snuffed the candles and cleared away the floor.

But the room was still lit like it was the afternoon and the doors were shaking now. 

Link hurried to his bed and got under the covers. He started repeating a take-back spell over and over under his breath while rocking front to back. 

He was scared.

There was a huge explosion sound and suddenly everything went black.

It took Link’s eyes some time to adjust to the new lightless-room. He was just about to get out of bed when Rhett’s door opened.

He stood there in the doorway, as if he wasn’t conscious at all.

His tall figure seemed even bigger now. His hair was loose and messy, his eyes half shut with sleep and - oh lord- he was naked. 

Link pretended to be asleep as Rhett walked into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. He seemed confused and tired. Mostly confused. He must have came back to his senses somewhere along the way because on his way back he turned to check up on Link.

“I didn’t wake you, right?” he asked, barely a whisper.

“No, no. I’m not even awake.” 

“Did you feel that tremor just minutes ago?”

“Must have been an earthquake or something.” Link was now sweating under his pajamas. Rhett just turned back with a shrug and walked to his room.

“Good night Link” he called out.

“Good night Rhett” Link responded trying not to stare at his naked body.

Made sense for him not to wear clothes, right? He must get hot, being the descendant of the Sun and all..

Link felt tired, so tired that he fell asleep before getting the chance to process all that had happened. 

* * *

The next day, neither of them mentioned what had happened last night. 

They ate breakfast together -the table was already set when Link woke up- and enjoyed an after-breakfast coffee in the garden. Rhett was wearing a tracksuit made out of light material and it looked so soft. His hair was tied up in a bun and crowned his head exquisitely. 

Now that Link knew for certain that Rhett was the thing he had been searching for, the thing he needed to obtain in order to save his reputation, he thought his opinion would have changed. Rhett was no longer a kind stranger who was helping him, but his prey.

So why didn’t Link feel like that?

Instead, he felt like home. He felt understood and cared for. 

As they sat under the lazy afternoon sun, not talking, not doing anything, just existing together out there in the middle of the forest, Link finally understood.

The other people at the academy were right; he didn’t belong with them. He was destined for different things. He didn’t know what exactly, but he was ready to give it a try. Just like Rhett had said, it wasn’t going to be easy but it would be worth it in the end.

The problem was, he had already sent the message to the academy; it was too late to back-up now. 

He was deep in thought and didn't realise Rhett had left his side. He only awoke from his thoughts when he heard a soft tud followed by cursing from the kitchen.

He went in to find Rhett, in the kitchen, baking something.

"Need a hand?" He smirked as he got closer to the messy kitchen.

"No, no thank you, I'm fine. It's just, I'm so used to cooking for one person, as soon as I try to change the measurements I mess up."

Link laughed and put the empty coffee mugs inside the sink.

"I'm not good at baking, but I'm good at following directions. So maybe I can help?"

Rhett glanced at Link only briefly, but the appreciation was clear.

"Thank you, no need. I'll figure it out sooner or later." He went back to his work. 

Link stood there, not knowing what to do.

There was flour all over Rhett's clothes and his hands were covered in batter. His hair had come undone and was spilling in front of his eyes. He kept huffing them away but it was clear that they were bothering him.

"Maybe I can tie your hair back? It looks like it’s making your work harder right now." He smiled uneasily. He always thought playing with someone's hair was way too personal, but he wanted to help anyway he could.

And, even though he wouldn't admit it outloud, he had wanted to caress those silky gold strands of hair since the first time he saw them.

"Oh, that'll be great, thanks!"

Rhett kept working on the food, deep in concentration, so Link took his time.

He slowly got closer to Rhett from behind and took in his smell. The kitchen was hot because of the pre-heated oven and already smelled like cookies; but Link could still distinguish Rhett's delectable scent.

He took his time collecting all the stray strands of hair inside his palms; swam his fingers along the river of velvety sunbeams and closed his eyes. 

It felt even better than he had dreamed of.

At first, he was planning on putting it into a ponytail - simple. But now, he didn't want to let go. He started braiding it. 

The roots differed in colour subtly, a little darker; but got lighter, almost as light as white, through the ends. 

Link was thoroughly caught up in braiding Rhett's hair. 

That might be why he didn't notice when the other man stopped mixing the bowl in front of him and instead tilted his head back, with closed eyes that mimicked Link’s.

Link could feel the room getting hotter but attributed it to the oven. 

Because Rhett was considerably taller than him, he was on his tiptoes; but as the braid got longer and he approached the ends of the hair, he stood back on his heels once again. 

The heat kept growing but Link wasn't paying attention to anything other than Rhett at the moment.

It’s only when his hands started burning that he realised something was going on. But he didn't get time to react when a powerful force hit him in the chest and sent him flying to the other side of the kitchen. 

Link was suffocating. 

It was incredibly hot and so bright that he couldn't open his eyes.

He started screaming in pain before fainting.

* * *

When he came to, it was already morning.

He was in his underwear and all the windows were open. He had a damp cloth on his forehead and felt like he had just run a marathon.

"Oh, you are awake! Ugh, I thought I lost you! I'm so sorry Link, I am so sorry"

Rhett was kneeling beside his bedside and crying into the cushions.

"What - why- what happened?"

"Shhh, you rest a little more. I will get you something to eat and drink. Once you’re back to your normal self, I'm gonna explain. I'm gonna tell you everything."

Link was too tired to try and decipher what Rhett meant, so he fell back into the bed and let Rhett took care of him.

* * *

Around noon, he was feeling much better. 

Now that he was more conscious, he realised they were in Rhett's bedroom.

There weren't many furniture, just like the rest of the cottage. The one major difference was the ceiling: it was glass.

Link could clearly see the blue sky on top of him and even the birds flying past the clouds.

It was beautiful.

"Are you feeling better?" 

He turned around to find Rhett sitting next to him on the bed.

"Yes I am, thanks."

They stayed silent.

"So, uhm, what happened?" 

Rhett looked so tired that Link though he could feel the weariness in the air between them.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have even opened the door when you knocked, let alone let you stay here for almost a week…"

"What are you talking about? Rhett, I'm so grateful that you did."

"But you shouldn't be. It's because of me that you are in this state. I thought I could keep it under control, but then you … you surprised me. You surprised me by making me feel better than I had in years. When I first came here, it took me a long time to get used to living with mortal creatures. Because of the immensity of my, well, let's say essence, nothing could survive in close proximity to me. I had to learn to dial down my powers. And I was doing a good job of it, till I met you.” he paused for a breath. 

“When you started playing with my hair, it was like you were slowly caressing me, assuring me with your gentle touches, making me believe everything would be alright. You made me feel worthy of love.. I’m not sure if that was your purpose but it happened.” 

“And when I feel content and comfortable, I lose the grip on my powers. For a split second, I let my guard down and it was too much for you. I can't even understand how you’re still alive but I sure am grateful for it."

Link was speechless.

Rhett was admitting to being a deity. And not only admitting, but apologizing for it.

"I believe it was me in the first place who caused your amnesia. Working with plants, spending time in my garden, baking.. These are all things that make me happy. Sometimes, they even make me forget about -well- what I’m capable of. Maybe you were just passing through and got caught up in my power…”

“In any case, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have let you in. Or, I could’ve told you what I was sooner. It's just, I've learned not to trust that easily. There are magical folks in this world as well and some want to hurt me. Maybe I was being paranoid... But I’m aware that this isn't an acceptable excuse. I am so, so sorry. And I understand if you'd like to leave as soon as you can."

Link was still shocked and didn't say anything.

"I'll give you some space. Take all the time you need, I will keep my distance."

And with that, the sun of Link's life walked out the room.

* * *

Even though he didn't acknowledge it, Link had been secretly hoping he was wrong about Rhett being a deity. But now that Rhett actually confessed it, he couldn't fool himself anymore.

The thing is, he had begun to like Rhett.

He was much nicer than the other people in Link’s life and he seemed to really care for him.

Besides, Rhett wasn't being paranoid: people were actually out to get him. And Link had made it easier for them.

He hurried to the living room and got his book of Shadows out, trying to find a reverse spell for the message sparrow. It had been days, so it was unlikely that it hadn't already reached the academy but he had to try. 

He couldn't let anything bad happen to Rhett.

"Rhett?" He called out to the empty cottage.

"Rhett?!"

Worry started to grow inside him.

"Rhett, where the hell are you!?"

Finally he saw the blond crown of hair from the window. He was at the garden, thank heavens. 

Just as Link turned towards to join him, he felt something. 

Something powerful and wicked.

The mages had arrived.


	4. Chapter 4

Link had to make a decision. 

He could either go back to the garden and tell Rhett to run away; or, he could go to the front door and try to persuade the mages to go back.

But how would he explain Rhett why he was asking him to run away?

He chose the front door.

They had already entered the lane.

He walked towards them and saw that there were at least a dozen people.

“What are you guys doing here?” he whisper-shouted.

“Hey Link, can’t believe you actually did it!” Richard was leading the way.

“Shhh, keep your voice down.”

“Why, is he close by?” All of them got into a fighting stance.

“No, no. He is not here.” 

This baffled them. They started exchanging looks between each other. 

“I lied. Turns out there is no son of the Sun. So you can all go back now.”

Link made awkward shuffling motions with his hands.

Richard, however, didn’t look convinced.

“I don’t believe you. I know you are a worthless maggot, but even you wouldn’t lie about this.”

He stepped closer to Link,

“What are you planning, you son of a witch? Do you want to take all the sun’s power to yourself?” He smirked, making Link remember how much he hated these people once again.

“Stop this” Link lashed out.

“Make me.” Richard replied and shoved Link to the ground.

Link didn’t have the power in him to fight back; his worries had taken over his body. He couldn’t even get back up.

“Please,'' he pleaded from the ground, “Just, go back to the academy and -”

But everyone's attention shifted when a deep voice growled from the door:

“Let. Him. Go.”

It was Rhett and he was glowing white with anger.

“Rhett” Link called out and tried to crawl towards him. 

All the mages had taken a step back, getting back into their attack strategy. All but Richard, who walked towards the door with his hands held out.

“We mean you no harm” he yelled, as if Rhett was a wild animal.

“Come here Link” Rhett helped Link get back to his feet and stepped in front of him in a protective position. Link could tell he was actively trying not to harm him in the process. 

Rhett was once again looking directly at the mob that had gathered outside his house.

“Go away.” Just the tone of his voice was enough to make Link shiver with fright. 

“We are only here to talk.” Richard was trying to hide his fear, but Link could see it nevertheless.

“Talk about what?”

“You, coming to the village with us.” 

They weren’t fooling Rhett that easily.

“And why would I do that?”

“You can have a better life”

“I am happy with my life here, away from you magic folk.”

“But aren’t you magic as well, son of the Sun?”

Rhett’s eyes glowed but it was too late.

Turns out, while Richard was stalling Rhett, couple of people from the back of the group had encircled him in order to attack covertly. 

And it worked.

First, they tossed poisonous smoke frogs to startle him. Then, using the most powerful magical chains Link had ever seen, they tied up Rhett’s arms and legs. 

Rhett succumbed to the ground with a shriek. 

Link was also dazed by the fog but this didn’t stop him from trying to help Rhett; just to find out, he didn’t need to. 

Rhett broke the chains in one swift motion and got rid of the fog by simply blowing the smoke away.

Damn, he was really powerful.

Every single one of the mages were frozen in their place, mouths agape, trying to understand what had just happened.

“I knew I could never trust you magic folk. Now, go away before you hurt yourselves. Come on Link.”

Rhett put one hand on Link’s shoulder to guide him inside when Richard yelled out,

“Then why are you protecting a witch?”

Rhett stopped in his tracks.

“What are you talking about?”

Richard pointed to Link,

“Him.”

Nothing had hurt Link more than seeing how Rhett’s expression changed in that moment, something dying behind his eyes.

“What?” he whispered.

“Rhett, I can exp-”

“You are … a witch?”

He stepped back from where Link was and drifted his looks from him to the others and back to him.

“Oh, this is rich! He was actually planning on harnessing all your powers for himself! What did you think he was doing with you? He is the one who called us here. You know, for a deity, you are mighty stupid.”

Rhett didn’t respond to them. He was only focused on Link at the moment. His eyes were teary and the glow around him had died out.

“Is this, is this true Link?”

Link wanted to deny it all, but how could he even start? He stepped closer to Rhett but the other man backed away. 

That’s when they attacked again.

Although now, they were using regular magic: practically nothing compared to the first methods they’ve used.

But this time Rhett didn’t fight back.

* * *

Four of the wizards were hauling the limp body of Rhett away from the cottage. Rhett was still conscious, they hadn’t hurt him yet, but he looked defeated. 

“Stop!” Link yelled after them but no one even turned around to look at him.

“I said stop!” he stomped his feet to the ground and felt the forest shake around him. This made them halt.

“I won’t let you take him.” 

Rhett was still not looking at him, but Link had the others’ attention now.

“And why is that?” one of them shouted back. Richard held his hand as if to say it’s all under control and took a step closer to where they had left Link,

“When will you give up? Yes, you were able to find the son of the Sun but you weren’t powerful enough to do anything about it. Now, the real mages are here. You can go back to your mama.” He laughed and the others joined him.

“Stop it Richard! I am asking you nicely this time. But if you and your groupies don’t let go of the deity, I’m gonna have to use force.”

There it was, the familiar smug look on Richard’s face that made Link feel sick.

“I’d like to see you try.”

Link thought about all the other times this had played out. How they taunted him but he never responded.

This time however, it was different. 

This time, they were trying to take away something he cared about more than his own well-being and reputation: Rhett. 

He planted both of his feet firmly to the ground and focused on the feeling of the nature surrounding them. He had read in his mom’s grimoire that nature was a witch's ally and if a witch was strong enough, they could ask for it’s help. 

He tried concentrating on nature’s soul but never let go of his worries and thoughts about Rhett. Somehow, this made him stronger.

The trees around them elongated their branches towards the group of people in the middle of them and snatched away their tiny bodies one by one. They were screaming and shouting spells to save themselves, but Link didn't open his eyes. 

He could feel the tender feelings he had for Rhett merging with the anger he had towards his magical peers in a powerful incantation that guided the forces of nature. 

"Retreat, retread!" He heard someone shout and he let his lips turn up into a half smile. When he finally lowered his hands and opened his eyes, he fell to the ground with exhaustion. 

The air was cold around him and the damp earth under his hands were calling to him.

He didn't succumb though, because he remembered why he was here in the first place.

"Rhett!" He shouted and started looking around the clearing in the middle of the trees. 

There he was, a couple feet away from Link, his arms and legs still tied up, unmoving in the ground.

"Rhett!"

Link hurried towards him as swiftly as he could.

"Are you hurt? Let me take these chains off. Are you alright? Rhett, talk to me! Please."

But he wasn't saying anything. 

Link knew they shouldn't stay out there for too long so he got under the bigger man's arms and lifted his body up. The short walk to the cottage wasn’t easy though, because Rhett was not even trying to walk. 

When they finally made inside the warm house, Rhett straightened up and walked towards the kitchen as if nothing had happened.

Link didn't follow.

When he returned with a mug on his hand, he didn't even look at Link.

Link watched as the Sun god took a sip of his tea, devoid from his usual glow.

"I want you to go."

His voice was but a whisper yet Link had heard him.

"Rhett, please, I can explain…"

"I don't want you to" he looked at him at last. There were tears in his eyes.

"All I want is you to get out of my life." Above his dull and tired eyes, his brows were set.

Link tried to take a step closer to him but Rhett turned his back.

“I’m sorry” Link whispered for the last time and got out of the house into the dark unknown of the forest.


	5. Chapter 5

He had been walking for hours, but in which direction or towards what he did not know. 

He’d messed it all up, like usual. 

What did he think was going to happen? That they would live happily ever after in that little cottage? 

That only happened in romantic fairy tales. And in this case, it was neither a fairy tale nor a romantic one.

Link stopped walking. 

The cold winds were still blowing through the trees and the earth was illuminated only by the light coming from the moon.

He thought back on how he felt whenever he was with Rhett. All those warm feeling and happiness… They weren’t because Rhett was a Sun deity, at least not all of them. It was because Link had …. Link had fallen in love with him. 

This sudden but also belated revelation shook his body more than the winds had. 

He needed to go back, he needed to tell Rhett how he felt on top of the whole truth.

Nobody has ever made him feel this good before, he needed Rhett to know that. He was going to tell him the whole story and beg for his forgiveness. Because they belonged together. It didn’t matter that he was a failed witch and Rhett was a mighty deity; they would find a way to work it out. Link needed it to work out.

And yes, he had messed up but maybe he could make things right again. 

He turned back at once and hurried towards the cottage. 

* * *

He was so excited and nervous that he had forgotten about Richard and the others. Afterall, they had given up. But a bad surprise was in store for Link.

For as he got closer to the cottage, his hair began to stand on end in the presence of potent and evil magic. 

They were back.

And this time, the professors were with them as well. All together, they were more powerful than ever. 

Link quickened his steps. He didn’t have a plan but knew he had to stop them.

When he finally caught up to them, they were already at the garden.

“Don’t!” 

Link didn’t have to raise his voice much, they had heard him.

“Oh, the notorious troublemaker, Mr. Neal.” 

The dark lord was here. And they looked menacing as ever. 

“Did you have something to say?”

Link didn’t even know how to address them.

“Yes, ma'am, please don’t hurt him.”

“Him? You mean the son of the Sun?”

“Yes, ma’am. He has nothing to offer you, I swear.”

The dark lord got into a fit of laughter. 

“Is that so? I guess we’ll have to see that for ourselves.”

They turned towards the cottage again just as the front door opened. 

Rhett stood there, looking smaller than he really was but appearing to have mastered up some power from his anger.

“Go away!” 

Link was hidden behind the crowd, out of Rhett’s sight. But he was able to see Rhett himself.

He could also see the sly smile that came over the dark lord's face.

“Oh, but your so called friend had tried so hard to persuade us to come back. And now you want us to leave empty handed?”

“Who?”

The crowd parted, as if on cue, leaving Link exposed to the shocked and dismal gaze of Rhett.

“Link?” His eyes were pleading with betrayal.

Their plan had worked, Rhett had let his guard down once again: the tiny bit of power he had left was drained out of his body by this last act of betrayal. 

The Sun god fainted on the doorsteps. 

The mages captured him without much hassle and dragged him out of the house.

They didn’t give Link a chance to do anything either. Some students were prepared to tie a bag around Link’s head without giving him a chance to even open his mouth, and to drag him out of sight. 

Link tried to free himself from their clutch, but they were stronger. They took him deeper into the woods and beat him. Link gave in easily. 

It wasn’t only physical beating, they used some dark magic as well. They took their time, even though Link wasn’t even fighting back anymore.

He couldn’t tell how long it lasted though. Because after a while, he blacked out from the pain.

* * *

When Link woke up again, he was in his bedroom. 

The small fireplace was lit, and he was wrapped under his childhood blanket. The familiar scent of home filled him with content. It didn’t last though.

As soon as he remembered what had happened, he tried to get out of bed but found that he couldn't. 

He had been spellbound to his bed. 

It wasn’t a strong spell though, so he could easily break it. Before he had the chance, the door opened and his mom came in.

“Oh, my baby, you are awake at last!” She looked so worried it broke Link’s heart. He had totally forgotten about her in the midst of all the things that had happened in the last couple of weeks. 

“Mom!” He hugged her and buried his face in her soft sweater. 

“Don’t ever disappear on me like that again! When I found you, I thought you were dead. What happened to my little bunny?”

“I’m so sorry mom, I shouldn’t have just gone off like that. I will explain everything to you, but first I need to save my friend.”

“Friend?” his mom, Sandra, pulled back; her hands still clutching his shoulders.

“Yes, mom. A friend who right now thinks I’ve betrayed him. I need to make things right. Only … I don’t really know how.”

He buried his face in his hands and started to cry. He had always been careful not to cry in front of his mother but he couldn’t help himself this time. Everything hurt and it all seemed hopeless.

“Oh, come here my bunny.”

The spell-bounds on him came off and left in its place the warmth of something only his mom could give to Link: unconditional love. 

* * *

Sandra held him tight as he cried all his feelings out. Once he was done and caught his breath again, he told her the whole story, as simple as he could.

“You see, that’s why I need to go back. I need to save Rhett!”

He hadn’t told her about the revelation he had back in the woods but moms could always tell,

“This Rhett, he has become more than a friend for you, hasn’t he?”

“Mom!?” Link was appalled

“No! What - why would you even think that?” he tried to hide his face but failed miserably.

“Honey, it is apparent that this guy, Rhett, is important to you. And, it looks like he needs our help. So let's go.”

She got up and held her hand for Link to take,

“You are coming with me?”

“Of course. If I won’t help my son reunite with his lover by defeating a bunch of evil mages, what kind of a witch would I be?” she smiled and Link felt hope for the first time.

* * *

When they finally reached the castle, it was almost morning.

Link had lost all sense of time but knew that they couldn’t have been done with Rhett. He didn’t look it, but Rhett was actually really powerful. They had used Link’s lies against Rhett and that emotional attack had weakened him down. In a twisted sense, this served as an evidence for Link to believe that Rhett loved him too. He didn’t know the extent of this love, but at least it was there. 

Sandra was actually one of the most powerful witches in the town and on top of this, they had made an airtight plan that would get them into the room where the dark lord was holding Rhett.

The problem was, the room was sealed with a type of cover that made it impossible to even guess what was inside; they only knew Rhett was in there.

They made it to the dungeon without much hassle. Now, they were standing in front of the door. Link took a deep breath.

“It’s gonna be alright.” Sandra affirmed. 

“Once you go in, the alarms will go off and they’ll know that we are here. I’m gonna try my best to keep them away but you need to hurry.”

Link nodded, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest.

She kissed him on the cheeks,

“Good luck”

* * *

The dungeon was dark. All the windows had been sealed; probably to cut Rhett’s relation with nature where he is the most powerful.

With a flick of Link’s hand, the room lightened. 

“Rhett?” he muttered into the nearly-empty room.

There was no reply, but a movement caught Link’s eye,

“Rhett!”

He hurried to the corner where the Sun god was tied to a board made out of the midnight sky. His clothes were torn down and there were bruises all around his face and body.

“What have they done to you?” Link tried to send back the tears that were misting his eyes as he tried to understand the magic of the chains that were holding his friend hostage.

“Link?” Rhett’s voice was heavy with woe.

“Yes, it’s me, I’m here.” Link lifted the bearded man’s face up and cleared away the sweaty hair strands from his face. 

“What are you doing here?” His eyelids hung heavy, hiding those beautiful amber-gold horizons Link have gotten used to get lost in. 

“I’m here to save you.”

“But why?” Link wiped away a tear that ran down towards Rhett’s disheveled beard. 

“Rhett, they lied. I mean, not at first but the second time. I would never do anything to hurt you. Look, I will explain everything. But first we need to get out of here.”

Rhett was drained and couldn’t even move his hands. Link had to find a way to break the chains and carry his body out of the castle. 

He was only half way through decoding the magic spell that bounded the chains when he felt the talisman on his neck heat up. His mom had given it to him before they left so that they could warn each other when things weren’t going according to plan.

This was bad news. 

Link sped up but it was no use. Within minutes, the previously empty room was filled with guards and the likes of Richard. The Dark Lord was there too. And they had Link’s mom hostage.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here.”

Link stood in front of Rhett and stretched his arms to the sides, shielding him the only way he could.

“I am not leaving here without him.”

The dark lord laughed,

“Who said you’d be leaving?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw blood

“You don’t scare me, my lord.” 

The dungeon felt colder than before and everything looked still, except the uneven breathing of Rhett coming from behind Link’s body. 

“Oh, really. And why is that?”

Link looked at his mother, being held by guards but not fighting back. She nodded at him.

“Because I am just as powerful as you are.”

The gasp from the students was so loud it was almost comical. 

“You know that’s a lie. Why do you always lie Mr. Neal?”

They didn’t appear to be fazed but neither did Link.

“I don’t.”

“Oh, but we all know you do. After all, isn’t that how you captured the son of the Sun; by lying?”

They were trying that again, huh? 

“Maybe so, but then I’ve seen my mistake and tried to change it. Unlike you and your hooligans.”

Rhett’s breath was getting quieter and it worried Link more than anything else that was going on at the moment. 

“You haven’t corrected anything. You went astray. You were suppose to harvest his power, not befriend him!” 

This rebuke from the dark lord reassured Link that he was finally getting under their skin.

“But that’s why I am more powerful than you. I don’t need to harvest other creatures powers to know that I am worthy.” 

Link had stepped closer to the crowd, his hands down by his sides now. The dark lord mimicked his behaviour, ending up mere meters away from each other. 

“The real magic is love. That’s why I am more powerful than you, than any other mage here who has been a bully all their lives. Because I was fortunate enough to find love.”

He thought about the days he got to spend with Rhett in that little cottage. How he felt and how it strengthened him more than any class he took at the academy had. 

Thanks to Rhett, he was finally confident enough to stand up for himself.

But the dark smile on his opponents face put doubt in him. 

“You know, we have been trying for days and we just couldn't seem to break him.”

The dark lord started pacing around Link slowly. 

“Then we though, maybe it’s impossible, you know? He is a deity after all. He is not really made for this earth. But now, now you have presented us with another option.”

Link was quiet. This couldn’t be good news.

“You see,” they continued with a raised voice,

“If we can’t have him, why can you? You need to be punished for disobeying anyways.”

They whistled a signal and in a blink of an eye, Richard was standing right next to Rhett with a grin on his face.

“Say goodbye to your only friend, you son of a witch.”

It all happened so fast.

A dagger, that seemed to have come out of nowhere, was suddenly in Rhett’s naked chest and he was coughing up blood. The chains came loose and he fell to the ground.

Richard took a step back, laughing. The dark lord joined him and their evil laughs echoed off the cold walls of the dungeon.

Link didn’t say anything; he couldn’t. His mind had shut down and now his primal energy was in control.

His whole body lit up with a force he had never felt before. It coursed through his veins and his eyes flashed like thunderbolts of lightning.

The anger and confusion; the heartbreak and the shock of it all... 

He screamed.

A scream that busted all the light sources in the room, tore-down the seals on the windows and let the moonlight in. 

The beam of force that came out of his body set the closest people to him on fire and made the others run away screaming. 

It was mayhem. None of the mages knew how to react, even the dark lord was scared. 

Link embraced his full potential as a witch at last: he let it consume him, let it control his body and mind. 

But it wasn’t right. This wasn’t his true nature, it couldn’t have been. He wasn’t acting out of love anymore, he was acting out of hate towards those who have taken his love away from him.

The anger was devouring him from the inside out. The only thing that tied him to the earth right now was the thought of Rhett. 

He tried to remember how he felt when they were together. But his memories were fading away, getting taken over by the dark magic. 

He screamed again, but this time out of desperation.

He didn’t know for how long he was in that state, battling the dark forces he had enabled to get a grab of him, but he eventually got pulled back to reality by another equally -if not more- powerful magic: his mother. 

“Link, bunny, come back to me.” 

He awoke in Sandra’s arms and immediately stumbled up to his feet.

“Rhett!”

Walking the short distance towards the corner where Rhett was lying took longer than before. His body was cold to the touch and his eyes were closed, but there was still a little life in him. It wasn’t that easy killing a celestial being after all.

“Rhett, please don’t leave me. Please.”

Link lifted the deity’s body up to his chest and hugged it tightly. 

“Rhett, please, please. I can’t lose you. You are the one who understands me, the one who feels like home. Rhett, please come back to me.”

Both of their bodies were trembling in time with Link’s sobbings,

“Link” 

The way Rhett said his name still had that softness in it, even when being muttered with a dying breath.

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” Link let his tears fall on the limb body in his arms.

And Rhett,... he smiled. It wasn’t his usual glowing smile, but it was still the most beautiful thing Link had ever seen.

“You came back for me.”

And with that, he closed his eyes permanently. 

“No, Rhett, come back to me, COME BACK!”

Link’s hands were covered in blood and his body was shaking desperately. 

Eventually, he pushed their foreheads together and took in the scent of his almost lover. 

“I love you.”

He merged their lips, thinking about a possible future where they ended up together; and how he would give anything to have that instead. 

He kissed the son of the Sun like he was the only thing that mattered to him. Because that was the truth now: Link no longer cared about what other people thought, if he fit in or not, if he was magic enough or not. All that mattered to him was Rhett.

And that’s when something magical happened.

Link felt the energy draining from himself and the body in his arms getting warmer. He thought back on the times they had together and it added to the flowing energy. A ball of light started to emerge around them, encapsulating both of their bodies.

Then, it burst. 


	7. Chapter 7

Opening his eyes were painful. 

Link couldn’t exactly remember what had happened but he felt weak and tired. Using all the strength he could muster, he straightened up on his bed and looked out the window. It must have been evening already. For a split second he panicked, thinking he had slept in and missed class.

Then, he remembered.

He remembered the dungeon and the dark lord, the dagger in Richard’s hand and the lifeless body of Rhett… 

Rhett?! 

Suddenly, his body was alert again and his mind frantic. He rushed out of his bedroom and headed downstairs.

Sandra was sitting by the fire, looking wistfully at the open flames. When she heard Link’s footsteps she turned around and exclaimed with joy,

“Link, bunny!”

She quickly closed the gap between them and embraced Link in a hug, inhaling his smell.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed, your body is really weak at the moment. Come, sit by the fire.”

She guided him towards where she had been sitting just moments ago and helped him get settled.

“Do you want anything? Food, or something to drink maybe?”

Link just stared at her face. What was going on? Was he just sick and it had all been a fever dream? Where was Rhett?

“Mom, where is Rh-”

Before he could finish, a tall figure walked in from the kitchen with a different box of cookies in each hand,

“Which one did you mean Miss. Neal? I feel like this would actually be better with tea so I -”

But he stopped mid-sentence because he had finally looked up,

“Link!”

The boxes flew to the ground as Rhett sprinted towards them and picked Link up into a tight embrace.

“Link! You're okay, you are actually okay!”

He kept swinging Link’s body from side to side as if he was a doll in the hands of a 3 year old. Link wasn’t complaining. The opposite even; he was ecstatic.

“Rhett! You are alive! But I don’t understand how? What happened?” He was beaming with joy and relief. He was just so happy to see the light of his life again. 

Rhett finally put Link down and swept the loose hairs off his forehead.

“You happened, Link; you saved me." 

He was still holding Link's hands, looking lovingly into his eyes. If Link didn't know better, he'd thought there was something wrong with Rhett. Why would anyone openly have this amount of admiration for someone like Link? But Rhett was being genuine; he was truly full of love. Just thinking about this made Link weak.

"But all that blood and - and you weren’t breathing. You were gone, Rhett, I thought I’d lost you."

Even though he was standing right in front of him, reliving those moments was enough to bring tears to Link's eyes.

Sandra put a hand on Link's shoulder,

"Maybe you should sit down. We'll explain everything." She looked at Rhett knowingly and a hint of desperation crossed Rhett's face.

When they were all settled by the fire, drinks in hand, Link finally learned what had happened.

"It was true loves kiss."

Sandra was the one who dared to say the words while Rhett was intentionally avoiding eye contact.

"What?"

"So apparently you, uhm, you kissed me when you thought I was dead. And, well, you know, the strongest magic of all is true love’s kiss." Rhett explained further, still not looking at Link.

Links cheeks were getting warmer by the minute and it wasn't because of the fireplace.

"Oh.." 

He averted his gaze as well, not daring to say anything more.

"But, as with every magic, there was a price." Sandra continued and Rhett shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

“What do you mean mum?”

She put a hand on Links leg and squeezed reassuringly.

"You lost most of your powers, bunny. Yes, true love’s kiss is the strongest magic; but the being you were trying to save was a deity. In the end, it took most of your magic energy for Rhett to pull through…”

Rhett was still not looking at them.

“What does that mean exactly?” Link was trying to keep his voice level. 

“It means you were originally an incredibly powerful witch. Now though... well, you are still witch; just, not a very strong one.” 

If this had happened a month ago, Link would have gone mad. His whole life had been centered around proving his worth through his magic and this meant he would never fit in.

Right now however, he didn’t really care.

“But it brought Rhett back, right? So it was worth it in the end.”

Link turned towards Rhett and raised his bearded face up with a gentle touch.

“I’m sorry Link, you-”

“No, I’m sorry. I should have never lied to you.”

“But now, you have lost your magic, because of me!”

Rhett’s misty eyes were staring directly into Link’s.

“Don’t you get it? I love you Rhett, son of the Sun. And I would do it again if I had to.”

Rhett chuckled softly.

“Well, I hope you’ll never have to, my love.” Those last words were enough to send shivers down Link’s spine. Rhett’s voice had found that smooth tone again and Link was hot all over.

“May I?” Rhett asked, as he tilted his head closer to Link’s.

Link could only nod.

The roughness of his untamed beard was a delightful contrast to the silky smooth lips that merged with Link’s. 

Link felt the heat rising around them, as well as the emergence of the extensive power that first led him to the cottage and later on burned his eyes. Only this time, it didn’t hurt Link. On the contrary, it felt like it was a part of him as well.

When they separated, Link took his time before opening his eyes again. He found Rhett staring in disbelief.

“What is it?” Link asked, still dazed with the magic of their first proper kiss.

“You … I didn’t burn you?”

Link was only now catching on.

“Wait, you weren’t trying to control down your power?”

Rhett shifted closer to Link before answering with joy,

“No! I mean, how could I when you are here with me and I get to kiss you?” 

Link shifted closer as well,

“Maybe it’s because our love is even stronger.”

“Stop being so cheesy, you witch.” 

“Make me.” Link dared. 

Rhett took him up on it and merged their lips once again.

As Link’s hands reached for those gorgeous long locks of hair to push their faces together further, a deliberate coughing brought them back to reality.

“Boys, not in my living room please.” Sandra noted with a hint of amusement.

They fell back onto their seats and laughed awkwardly.

“Wanna come to my cottage when you are feeling better?” Rhett asked after a while.

Link’s answer was fast and clear:

“Nothing could make me happier.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked it!
> 
> I wanted to keep the story itself family-friendly but I also feel like our witch and deity had some sexy times after they got together. That's why I might write a smutty epilogue later on ;)


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